A long-time successful
Tulsa businessman, Alfred Aaronson came to Tulsa in 1913 and was founder of Mid-Co Petroleum. Later
he
founded Tuloma Oil Co. and was its president from 1915 to 1926. He was president of the Leavell Coal
Co., Looboyle Inc., Consumers Oil Stations, Inc. and the Commonwealth Co. of Tulsa. He retired in
1965 and entered into what became nearly full-time civic leadership. Before retiring he was a tireless
worker for Tulsa libraries.

He spearheaded the election campaign which provided funding for operations and several new buildings
for the new multi-county library system which was being developed in 1961. He worked on selection
of the site for the new central library, and served as Chairman of the Tulsa City-County Library
Commission until 1967, and was active in the Friends of Libraries group. He also originated the
idea of a Tulsa Historical Society, and spearheaded a movement which resulted in the city voting
a bond issue to acquire the Gilcrease collection and thereby keep it in Tulsa.

Mr. Aaronson pointed out that in working on civic projects, he met people he had not known in
the business world. He said “When I started on Gilcrease, I had to get an appreciation of
art. In the library campaign, I began to learn the importance of books. While working with the historical
society, I came to realize how much turns on history.” He summed it all up by saying “I’ve
had a good life, but the satisfaction you receive from something you do without getting any monetary
return far exceeds anything else.” Every city needs an Alfred Aaronson.